Kansas City Star: Gallagher’s Birds Take Flight At Midland

[…] Thursday’s show was the fourth time in five years or so that Snow Patrol has performed in Kansas City. A couple of those shows, especially its first at the Uptown Theater, were exceptional. They are a suitable paring with Gallagher’s band; their music shares some of the same traits. Gary Lightbody, the band’s lead singer, is a dynamic frontman, the type who can rev up a crowd and stoke the mood inside a big room.

Things were going well for about a half-dozen songs, including “Hands Open,” “Take Back This City” and “This Isn’t Everything You Are.” Then something went awry on stage. Lightbody seemed flustered and distressed, and the band continued to perform a half-acoustic set, he without his guitar. After the show, Lightbody’s Twitter message said: “Thanks Kansas City for your warmth. It wasn’t the show we wanted to give you but after the guitar systems went down we gave you all we had.”

To the band’s credit, with sport and grace, it made the best of a situation that could have ended the show. Instead it delivered a few of its big numbers, such as “Chasing Cars” and “Just Say Yes.” There was even an encore: “Life-ning.”

In the end, Snow Patrol played an 11-song set that lasted a bit more than an hour. Lightbody apologized a few times for what happened and thanked the crowd for its patience. […]